Ericsson puts Turner channels on cellphones

Like a hotel room in your hand

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Ericsson and Turner Broadcasting will launch a series of “off the deck” portals to carry the media giant’s content worldwide, the firms announced today.

The first service will be CNN Mobile, due to be unveiled at 3GSM next week. As well as breaking news, it will include a 14 day archive of stories.

The concept will then be extended to Turner’s other channels, such as the Cartoon Network and the intriguingly monikered Adult Swim. Ericsson provides the hosting and content management technology.

Users will be able to access the services either through operator’s branded portals or directly. They will only be able to access content “appropriate to the particular handset”. While the companies are pitching the tie-up as a way for operators to deliver “simple access” via their portals, presumably the long term is to bypass operators as far as possible.

The announcement comes just days after Ericsson unveiled its full year numbers. Net sales for the fourth quarter were SKR53.7bn (£3.9bn), up 18 per cent, while net income was SKR9.7bn, compared to last year’s SKR8.5bn. For the full year sales rose 17 per cent to SKR177.8bn, while net income was SKR26.3bn, compared to last year’s SKR 24.3bn.®